Improvement in railroad tracks



J. Y. KEMER.. Railroad Tfacks.

Patented Dec. 3,1872.

Figa.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JAMES Y. KEPLEB, OF MARION, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD TRACKS.

Specification forming part of 'Letters Patent No. 133,586, dated December 3, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit knownv that I, J AMES Y. KEPLER, of Marion, Grant county, State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad Tracks to Prevent Vrecks, of which the following is al specification:

This invention relates to an improvement in railroad tracks; and consists in providing the track on the ties with a plate of iron of suitable thickness for the road-rails to rest upon. The rails are fastened securely to the bed-plate and ties by being bolted through rail and bedplate, and spikes are driven along the rails into the ties on the inside and outside of the rails. At a given distance the bed-plate is bent upward at a right angle, forming a sideguard of sufcient height and width, so that if a iiange of the wheel breaks or jumps from its place on the rail, the guard will prevent it from causing a wreck. A

In order that the nature of my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to (1escribe the same more in detail by the aid of the accompanying drawing.

Description of Drawing.

Figure 1 shows a top view; Fig. 2, a 1ongitudinal section on line y y; and Fig. 3, acrossforming at C G bed-plates, and at B B .side

guards. On the bed-plates C C the track rests. The rails A A are fastened with bolts b b and firmly spiked through the bed-plate and ties l) on the outside of the rails with spikes c c driven into the ties. The inside of the rails at A" are spiked with spikes c c on the edge of the bed-plate driven into the ties D. The opposite side of the bed-plate C is bentat d in a right angle upward at B, forming a side guard of required height and width from the outside face of wheels when the flange on the wheel bears on the inside of the rail, so as not to interfere with the running wheel.

Should the iiange of a wheel break, or the wheel jump from its place on the rail, the side guard B will prevent it from causing a wreck.

In order to strengthen the side guards B B a bracing side rail, B B', of wood, is attached, spiked firmly on the outside to every tie at j' j', and bolted at a a through theside. guard B,

as shown in Fig. 3. 4

In order thatwater may pass freely ofi' from the bed-plates, holes e e are formed of required size and at given distances in the bottom of the bed-plates G O, Fig. l, on the outside of the rails, thus preventing the accumulation and freezing of water.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

l. The application to railroads of bed-plates C bent upward in a right angle to form a side guard, B, for the purpose of preventing the train from leaving the track, as described.

2. The attachment of a wooden bracing-rail, B ,to the side guard B for strengthening said iron side guard, both being firmly bolted ton gether and spiked to ties D, as andfor the purpose described.

JAMES Y. KEPLEB. Witnesses: 4

MARCUS L. MARSH, JACOB KEPLER. 

